The ongoing battle between former governor of Lagos state, Senator Bola Tinubu and the presidential candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu appeared to have taken a fresh dimension at the weekend following Tinubu’s clear insistence that he as the leader of the party would have the final say on the presidential running mate.
Prior to the final submission of Ribadu’s name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on January 31, Tinubu had hoped he could replace the former Anti-corruption Czar with either the presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive change (CPC) General Muhammadu Buhari or that of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau through the planned alliance with the parties.
But the alliance talks collapsed in the last minute, making Tinubu and the ACN to get stuck to Ribadu.
Sources said that though some governors of the party had continuously urged Ribadu on in the contest, he was frustrated at a stage and nearly practically dumped the contest.
He did not do much search for a running mate and was said to have believed that even if his name would be submitted, he could supply that of a running mate later.
But some politically observant persons were said to have alerted Ribadu and other leaders of the party to the need to bring up a running mate before the expiration of the January 31 date by INEC.
The collapse of the talks and the insistence of the party’s serving governors on Ribadu meant that the former Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had to run the race.
Ribadu and the party leaders hurriedly submitted the name of Dr. Sunny Ugochukwu as his running mate last Monday with the promise to fanalise the right candidate afterwards.
The former EFCC boss was however said to have expressed his decision to pick Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as his running mate, a decision that did not go down well with Tinubu.
The former Lagos governor was said to have also suggested the choice of Dr. Chris Ngige, a choice that was rejected by Ribadu.
Tinubu and ACN’s leaders were in favour of a running mate emerging from the South West, to shore up the party’s popularity but Ribadu’s loyalists in the party are said to be talking of a candidate that will be “sellable.”
A source said that Tinubu believes that he could lose the control of the party if he allows Ribadu and some younger elements in the party go ahead and pick the running mate they like.
He was said to have suggested the choice of party chairman, Chief Bisi Akande or the former Attorney General of Lagos, Prof. Yemi Osibajo added to his initial choice of Chief Niyi Adebayo, a former governor of Ekiti state.
“All the choices were rejected by Ribadu at recent discussions,” a source said.
A source said that Ribadu’s running mate could change once the discussions among stakeholders are concluded.
It was gathered that while Tinubu is in favour of either the National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande or former Anambra governor, Chris Ngige as the candidate, Ribadu and some other young elements in the party are in favour of the World Bank Chief, Dr. (Mrs.) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as his running mate. “The tug of war would be finally resolved in the days to come,” a source said.
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